The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine lost its external electrical supply on Nov. 8, 2026, after damage caused protective systems to automatically disconnect the facility's power line.
Russian-installed management of the station stated that protective systems disconnected the Ferosplavna line following damage. Emergency diesel generators turned on to supply power to critical systems necessary to keep the six-reactor complex secure.
Plant managers reported that radiation levels across the facility and its surrounding monitoring zones remained normal after the cutoff. Station officials did not state what caused the physical damage or how much fuel remained available on site for the backup generators.
External power was restored to Europe's largest atomic plant hours later, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. All six reactors remain in shutdown mode following Russia's seizure of the site in 2022, though continuous electrical power is still required to circulate coolant around nuclear material and prevent core damage.
